1. Technology Field
The present invention generally relates to a technique for managing a buffer memory, and more particularly, to a buffer memory management method which can temporarily increase the storage space of a buffer memory and a memory controller and a memory storage device using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with the widespread of digital cameras, cell phones, and MP3 in recently years, the consumers' demand to storage media has increased drastically. Rewritable non-volatile memory is one of the most adaptable storage media to portable electronic products (for example, notebook computers) due to its many characteristics such as data non-volatility, low power consumption, small volume, non-mechanical structure, and high access speed. A solid state drive (SSD) is a memory storage device which uses a flash memory as its storage medium. Thus, in recent years, the flash memory industry has become a major part of the electronic industry.
In a memory storage device which uses a rewritable non-volatile memory as its storage medium, a buffer memory is usually disposed for temporarily storing program codes or data. In consideration of cost, such a buffer memory usually has a limited storage space. A memory storage device cannot work properly when the storage space of its buffer memory runs out. Additional memory space is required when a memory storage device executes some programs. For example, a memory space having a capacity of log(n) is required for sorting data having a size of n. Aforementioned sorting procedure cannot be executed if the storage space of a buffer memory is insufficient. Thereby, how to instantly and temporarily release the storage space of a buffer memory has become a major subject in the industry.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.